family question...please help...
 

When I was a new member my big sister's (steph), big sister (michelle) took another little (christie) (my big sister has a twin). The twin (christie) took a little (erica), and now that little has a little (kelly). I was wondering what the relation they are to me?? Like aunt, cousin...i'm just curious...does anyone know the technical details?
-violets

Re: family question...please help...
 

It'd be easiest to think of this in terms of mom-daughter. That's how my chapter does that.

Steph is your mom. Michelle is your grandma. Christie is your aunt. Erica, your aunt's kid, would be your cousin. I believe your cousin's kid would be your second cousin?

No clue, because Gamma Phi Beta (along with all NPC orgs, I thought) is not allowed to have Big Brothers. Maybe you could consider him your "pledge dad" so he'd be your "pledge grandpa."

The big bro's aren't anything offical, but we do have them

Re: Re: family question...please help...
 

Technically, your first cousin's child is your first cousin, once removed.

My dad is a geneaologist.

However, there are several ways to calculate the "level" of cousins. My dad's way is the standard way but in practice a lot of people do other ways because they don't realize all the "rules".

Not that it really matters. ;)

Is your Headquarters okay with that? We had them for a loong time but we were told they had to go away completely - we will acknowledge them if they come back at Homecoming for that type of thing, but there haven't been new ones in at least 10 years.

Re: Re: Re: family question...please help...
 

Your dad has taught you well! :) If & when I can ever retire as a counselor, I'd like to go into genealogy full time, like my mama. I guess that makes me a geek, once removed!

That's our SOP, too. And I too thought that all NPC chapters had done away with the whole big brother/little sister thing. It can get SO messy in the long run - especially if you have someone from HQ visiting, and someone slips up! Oops - there goes your chapter's chance at any national level awards!

Exactly. We have one "big brother" who does still help us a LOT though. He came and cut down this ugly tree in front of our unofficial house and did some yard work for us that just can't be done by girls. ;)

Re: Re: family question...please help...
 

Whew that is complicated. At least someone took the time to figure that one out like that. Sounds about right to me.

I am from the same campus as buttonz. We don't have a big brother groups . What we do is if you're close or good friends with a greek guy (just friends, no romantic inclinations), if he pledged before you you can ask him to be your big brother, if he pledged after you can ask him to be your little brother. The guy can also ask a girl to be their big or little sister. Its not an official thing or anything and if you're one sorority it doesn't mean your big brother has to be in a particular fraternity and its not like you don't chose each other. Its just something cute we do on campus.